On this day in history: November 30, 1954 - At 1 pm, an 8.5 pound stone meteorite falls from the sky and strikes Elizabeth Hulitt Hodge from Sylacauga, Alabama. The housewife was seriously bruised but survived, although the meteorite destroyed her radio.

Born on this day in history: November 30, 1947 - David Mamet (1947 - ____) dramatist, playwright, director. His films include "Speed the Plow," and "House of Games."

Scripture of the Day: "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives." (2 Peter 3:10-11)

While on my way to the office this morning, I spotted this Dodge Nitro limo.Click to enlarge.

And here is Selina and her limo! Click to enlarge.

[While I slept] Upon arriving at my office, I unlocked the front door, stepped inside and disarmed the alarm, prayed over the office and its contents, turned on the three computer monitors, started the ISpy Web cam software, and opened Microsoft Outlook 2007. As the email downloaded, I turned on the television and satellite receiver and tuned the receiver to the Fox News Channel. I then turned on the florescent lights, unlocked and opened the central interior door, walked to the rear door, and unlocked and opened the rear door.

To my great surprise, a large tortoise sat upon the concrete in front of the rear door! Its legs and head were drawn inside its shell, and it appeared to be enjoying the warmth of the early morning sun. I did not disturb the tortoise. I thought about it, as I went about my morning routine, and I checked several times during the next few hours and found the tortoise reposed as I had found him initially.

It was a Monday, and the waste management truck comes to empty my dumpster each Monday—generally in the last hour or so of the morning. I walked to the rear of my office to push the dumpster to the alley, where it would be emptied by the waste management truck. As I walked through the rear door, I looked to the spot where the tortoise had rested and saw that he was gone. I felt a bit sad but imagined that the tortoise had moved to a more welcome environment. I pushed the dumpster to the alley and returned to my office.

As I settled into my chair and reached for my mouse, I felt something brush against my left foot. I looked down and saw the tortoise! At first, I imagined that the tortoise simply looked larger inside my office, but as I regarded him more closely, it was apparent that he was, in fact, substantially larger than he had been less than an hour before! In fact, he was so significantly larger that my initial observation was he must not be the same tortoise I had seen earlier. Yet, a tortoise of any dimensions in the city, certainly, and this tortoise was unlikely to be a mere companion of the original tortoise. It must be, I thought, the same tortoise—somehow nearly doubled in size since first I viewed him!

I imagined that the tortoise must be someone's pet and that someone was, no doubt, looking for him. I determined to care for the tortoise until his owner came to claim him. I could not, however, continue to call the tortoise using pronouns, and I decided to name him Terrance—at least for his tenure in my care.

As I went about my day, Terrance followed me about the office—slowly. I had the remnants of a salad left over from the previous week. It had no dressing on it and was still relatively fresh. I placed the salad on a paper plate and offered it to Terrance. He ate greedily. I filled a plastic bowl with spring water from the water cooler and placed it beside the salad. Terrance ate and drank without stopping. When the salad and water were gone, Terrance crept to a corner of the office and appeared to nap.

A few hours later, I felt a nudging against my left foot. I looked down and saw Terrance. He was apparently hungry and thirsty once again—due, no doubt, to a great extent because he had once again nearly doubled in size! Terrance needed more food, and there was none at my office. I backed my Nitro R/T up to the rear of my office and opened the rear gate. With considerable effort, I hoisted Terrance and placed him inside the vehicle. He only barely fit! I locked my office and took Terrance to my house. At the house, I placed Terrance on the rear lawn. There, he would have plenty of grass upon which to feed. I took a stainless-steel bowl from the kitchen, filled it with spring water, and placed it in the shade at the rear of the house. Terrance ceased eating grass and strutted to the water. He drank thirstily. Once again, he had very nearly doubled in size since our journey to the house. I estimated him at 5 feet in circumference and well over 150 pounds!

I left Terrance and walked to the house. I called the local news services and informed them of Terrance and his mysterious growth cycles, and I said that I intended to tend to his needs until his rightful owner came to claim him.

I returned to the rear yard to check on Terrance. Once again, he had doubled in size. Soon, he would be too large for the yard! In preparation for his next growth spurt, I led Terrance down the alley and across the street, to a large field near my house. There, Terrance would have sufficient grass upon which to feed and sufficient water to drink, there being a small creek running through the field.

Suddenly, the street was filled with vehicles bearing the logos of news media, and the sky was filled with helicopters that were similarly identified. One of the helicopters—bearing the logo of the Fox News Channel—landed near me, where I stood, watching over Terrance. From the helicopter, Laurie Dhue appeared, with camera crew in tow. Laurie began interviewing me. She showed great interest in the story and considerable concern for Terrance—who doubled in size during the interview!

An enormous helicopter—bearing the insignia of PETA—hovered over us and landed nearby. A spokesperson appeared and confronted me, saying that I had no right whatever to “the creature,” as she called Terrance, and that she would now see that “the best interests of the creature” were served! Laurie Dhue was visibly disturbed, and I loudly protested the removal of Terrance from my care. Armed guards from the PETA helicopter appeared, and a team carrying a large stainless-steel cage accompanied them. All appeared to be lost!

Laurie Dhue whispered to me, “You should not give up hope. I am going to make a call. Please trust me. All will be well.” I took solace from her words, yet I feared the worst. The men with the cage were descending upon Terrance!

Suddenly, a S.W.A.T. team from the local police department appeared and forced the PETA personnel away from Terrance. The S.W.A.T. team leader held forth a court order, signed by a local judge, that gave temporary custody of Terrance to me. The PETA spokesperson argued that a local judge had no say in the matter and that she would soon have this court order rescinded. I felt saddened by what seemed to be a harsh reality.

Suddenly, another helicopter appeared and landed. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared, followed by a large contingent from the California National Guard. The Governor posed with me and Terrance, the media photographers converged and greedily photographed us, and the crowd that had gathered cheered loudly.

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The Month Before Christmas

'Twas the month before Christmas when all through our land,Not a Christian was praying nor taking a stand.Why the PC Police had taken away,The reason for Christmas - no one could say.

The children were told by their schools not to sing,About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would sayDecember 25th is just a " Holiday ".Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and creditPushing folks down to the floor just to get it!CDs from Madonna, an X-BOX, an iPodSomething was changing, something quite odd!

Retailers promoted Ramadan and KwanzaaIn hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.As Targets are hanging their trees upside downAt Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.

At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and SearsYou won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-tyAre words that were used to intimidate me.

Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf BlitzenOn Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatterTo eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.

And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faithForbidden to speak of salvation and graceThe true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discardedThe reason for the season, stopped before it started.

So as you celebrate "Winter Break" under your "DreamTree"Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.Choose your words carefully, choose what you sayShout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday!

On this day in history: November 28, 1981 - Natalie Wood topples off her yacht near Catalina Island and drowns. Her husband, Robert Wagner, and friend, Christopher Walken, were onboard and unaware of her predicament.

Born on this day in history: November 28, 1936 - Gary Hart (1936 - ____) politician. He was the Democratic senator from Colorado, 1975-86; his scandal-ridden bid for the presidential nomination in 1984 rocked the party.

Scripture of the Day: "Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done." (1 Chronicles 16:8)

Here is a photograph I took last week of the ruins of Premier West Bank.Click to enlarge. To see more photographs of the ruins, go to Photo Gallery of Local Events.

For dinner last evening, I made grilled pork loin chops and brown rice. I grilled two of the thickest pork loin chops I have ever seen on the indoor grill. I allowed the grill to reach its full heat, tossed the chops (dry-rubbed with sea salt, ground black pepper, and Gebhardt's chili powder) on the grill, and covered with an aluminum-foil tent. They were deliciousnice grill marks, seared on the outside, and juicy and moist on the inside. For the rice, I placed 1 1/2 cups of brown rice, three cups of water, three large sliced white mushrooms, two sliced celery stalks, one sliced red bell pepper, sea salt, ground black pepper, and ground sage in a covered pot. I cooked this on high for 10 minutes, reduced the heat to medium-low, cooked for 30 minutes, reduced the heat to low, and cooked for another 10 minutes. It was a delightful meal.

Telemarketers: Undoubtedly, the number of telemarketing calls I receive is significantly diminished by the inclusion of my telephone numbers in the National Do Not Call List. However, the calls do sneak in under the radarso to speak. Last evening at around 6 PM, the following conversation took place:

ME: Hello Mr. Telemarketer. What is it you are attempting to peddle?TM: Uh...why do you say that? ME: I would like to keep this conversation brief. I am expecting an important telephone call from Chuck Norris. What is it you are attempting to peddle?TM: Uh...well...anyway...this is [name redacted] representing [newspaper name redacted]...ME: I am not interested. Good bye.TM: You haven't heard what we're offering...ME: There is no time. Save your energy for someone who does not daily read this newspaper online at no cost. Good bye.TM: But...ME: (Plonk)

On this day in history: November 27, 1969 - Court appointed attorney Ronald Hughes, handling the Charles Manson case, disappears on a camping trip to Sespe Hot Springs in Southern California, accompanied by two Manson followers. His decomposed body is identified by dental x-rays five months later.

Born on this day in history: November 27, 1937 - Gail Sheehy (1937 - ____) writer, journalist, editor. She is best known for "Pathfinders: Predictable Crises of Adult Life," 1976.

Scripture of the Day: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16)

Band Wagon:2007 Dodge Nitro R/T rock band vehicle. The Beatles never reunited. Nor has SCREAM, a little band from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, that played their last gig in 1975. While not as socially significant as a Beatles reunion, the thought of participating in a rock reunion with my old high school buddies was irresistible. After brushing off 20 years of musical inactivity, all the exaltation and exasperation of playing live returned.

One burden for local rock bands is the necessity of hefting and hauling gear to practices and gigs. In high school, at least one member, or his parent, had to have a pickup, station wagon, or van. Today, 30 years on, the same rules apply.

For this adventure, the Dodge Nitro R/T is a perfect fit. Its snazzy looks and tough-guy appeal are augmented by its cargo/passenger versatility. The 4.0L V-6 with the full-time 4WD option may come in handy should the weather turn nasty.

On this day in history: November 26, 1975 - Manson family member Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme found guilty of attempting to assassinate President Ford.

Born on this day in history: November 26, 1938 - Tina Turner (1938 - ____) singer. She won Grammys for "Proud Mary," 1972 and "What's Love Got to Do With It?," 1984.

Scripture of the Day: "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe." (Hebrews 12:28)

Video of the Day: Laser Cats - submitted by Phillip

I hope that everyone had a festive and safe Thanksgiving. The weather here was beautiful throughout Thanksgiving and the weekend. Mornings were cool, but the sun was bright, the sky was clear, and the days were warm and wonderful.

Laura and I attended a candlelight Thanksgiving service at Harvest Christian Center Wednesday evening. It was an awesome experience.

Following the candlelight Thanksgiving service, we dined upon a 10-topping Freschetta pizza and retired early.

Thursday morning, we made preparations for Thanksgiving dinner. I poached two large bundles of asparagus and placed in the refrigerator to chill. I sliced a loaf of garlic sourdough bread into cubes and toasted in the oven. I sautéed two medium white onions, two heads of peeled and chopped garlic, six diced Jalapeños, a diced red bell pepper, four large sliced white mushrooms, three sliced celery stalks, and seasonings in extra-virgin olive oil. Laura tended to this as I drained two jars of Pacific oysters. Laura added the oysters to the sauté pan and broke them apart with wooden spoons. Laura then added a large package of baby spinach to the sauté pan and continued to tend it. I took the toasted sourdough cubes from the oven and placed them in a large stainless-steel bowl. Laura added the contents of the sauté pan and a can of chicken stock and stirred the dressing. She then placed it in a large Pyrex baking dish, covered with aluminum foil, and placed in the refrigerator. She did a spicy dry rub on a 5-pound turkey breast. I roasted the turkey breast at 350 degrees for one hour, uncovered, in a roasting pan. I placed an aluminum foil tent over the turkey and continued to roast for another two hours at 225 degrees. When the turkey was done, I removed it from the oven, covered with the aluminum foil, and allowed it to rest while I baked the oyster dressing for 30 minutes at 300 degrees. I sliced the turkey breast, removed the asparagus from the refrigerator and placed it on the dining table, along with the sliced turkey breast, oyster dressing, a pot of turkey gravy, and a bowl of cranberry sauce. The meal was delightful. Champagne accompanied the food.

Friday evening, we revisited the Thanksgiving mealwithout the asparagus, which had been fully devoured on Thanksgiving.

Saturday morning, I made baked cubed white potatoes, sliced white onion, a head of whole, peeled garlic cloves, and two sliced Jalapeños in the microwave oven in a Pyrex baking dish for eight minutes. I removed this from the microwave, seasoned with sea salt, ground black pepper, and Cajun seasoning, cracked six jumbo eggs and arranged them on top, and baked in the conventional oven for twenty minutes at 400 degrees. Laura grated some medium cheddar cheese and distributed it atop the food when I removed it from the oven. It was a delightful meal.

For dinner Saturday evening, Laura made chicken enchiladasusing the four leftover chicken breasts I had grilled earlier in the week. I made a fresh salsa with diced Roma tomato and diced Jalapeño. It was a wonderful meal. Five enchiladas remain and shall be our dinner on Wednesday, following Bible class at Harvest Christian Center.

Sunday, I grilled a large tri-tip and made a casserole of steamed white potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, and baby carrots. We enjoyed this with an extraordinary Woodbridge Zinfandel.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

On this day in history: November 21, 1997 - Lead singer of INXS, Michael Hutchence, found hanged in his hotel room at the Ritz-Carlton in Sydney Australia. Police have denied that his death was due to Autoerotic Asphyxiation.

Born on this day in history: November 21, Goldie Hawn (1945 - ____) actress, comedienne, producer. She won an Oscar for "Cactus Flower," 1969; other films include "Protocol," 1984 and "The First Wives Club," 1996.

Scripture of the Day: "I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way, in all your speaking, and in all your knowledge." (1 Corinthians 1:4-5)

Video of the Day: Thanksgiving - George Winston

Laura has set a beautiful table in preparation for Thanksgiving dinner. Click to enlarge.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We shall be attending a Thanksgiving worship service at Harvest Christmas Center. For dinner afterwards, we shall have one of the new Freschetta 10-topping pizzas. I described this pizza in an earlier post. It is wonderful and easily equal in taste and appearance to a take-and-bake pizza.

On this day in history: November 20, 1912 - Mad Bomber Carl Warr enters Los Angeles city jail with 60 sticks of dynamite strapped to himself. After an hour, two detectives attack Warr who then pulls the bomb's trigger. Nothing happens, and the freakishly masked bomber begs police to kill him.

Born on this day in history: November 20, 1923 - Nadine Gordimer (1923 - ____) novelist. She is noted for her major anti-apartheid themes of exile and alienation in "Burger's Daughter," 1979; won Nobel Prize for Literature, 1991.

Scripture of the Day: "Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song." (Psalm 95:1-2)

Video of the Day: How to charge an iPod using electrolytes and an onion

For dinner last evening, I grilled boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The chicken had marinated overnight in extra-virgin olive oil, rice wine vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, lime juice, crushed red peppers, sea salt, and lemon pepper spice. I grilled the breasts until they were approximately 75% done. I placed them in a Pyrex dish, covered the dish with aluminum foil, and placed in a 170-degree oven. After 30 minutes, I halved three medium red potatoes, baked them in the microwave, and added themcut-side downto the Pyrex dish. When we dined an hour later, the potatoes had absorbed a quantity of the delicious juice that exuded from the chicken breasts. We also had baby asparagus that I poached and chilled. It was a delightful meal. The chicken was fork-tender, moist, and delicious. The four leftover breasts will make some excellent enchiladas later this week, I am certain.

Photographs from the 12th annual Corning Hometown Christmas await your viewing pleasure. From the index for the Photo Gallery of Local Events, choose Corning Hometown Christmas. The photographs may be viewed individually, by clicking on the thumbnails, or as a slide show, by clicking on "start slide show" near the bottom left of the first photograph.

On this day in history: November 19, 1991 - Michael Rockefeller, 23-year-old son of New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller (later Vice President), disappears while searching for Asmat wood carvings in the jungles near Atsj, Papua New Guinea.

Born on this day in history: November 19, 1926 - Jeane Kirkpatrick (1926 - 2006) diplomat. She was the U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations, 1981; resigned, 1985.

Scripture of the Day: "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night." (Psalm 1:1-2)

Video of the Day: Cat Talking - submitted by Cindy

Here is a photograph of the live Nativity scene at the 12th annual Corning Hometown Christmas. I shall have a slide show of photographs from this event ready for viewing soon and will make an announcement here when it is ready. Click to enlarge.

Hometown Christmas was a great successdue, in part, to some incredibly beautiful weather. The weather had been forecast to be foul, cold, and wet, yet it was sunny and glorious. Today, however, is another matter. It is cold, wet, and windy. Oh well, it is appropriate weather for this time of year.

On this day in history: November 16, 1906 - Opera star Enrico Caruso is charged with an indecent act committed in the monkey house of New York's Central Park Zoo. He pinched the bottom of a woman described as "pretty and plump," causing outrage amongst New York high society. Caruso claimed a monkey pinched the lady's bottom.

Born on this day in history: November 16, 1935 - Elizabeth Drew (1935 - ____) journalist, commentator. She has been a writer with the "New Yorker" magazine since 1973.

Scripture of the Day: "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law." (Psalm 119:18)

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Tomorrow is the 12th annual Corning Hometown Christmas. For details, see the Calendar of North State Events. There will be a live Nativity scene, craft and food booths, photographs with Santa, a lighted parade, and more. There will be free games for children, provided by Harvest Christian Center. Laura shall be operating one of the game booths, and I shall photograph the event and will announce the availability of the slide show I produce from the photographs.

On this day in history: November 15, 1941 - SS chief Himmler orders the arrest and concentration of all homosexuals in Germany. Excluded were certain top Nazi officials who happened to be homosexualsincluding Himmler.

Born on this day in history: November 15, 1930 - J. G. Ballard (1930 - ____) novelist. He writes books of surrealistic fiction with apocalyptic themes; wrote the best-selling novel "Empire of the Sun," 1984.

Scripture of the Day: "Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands are my delight." (Psalm 119:143)

Video of the Day: Funny Animal Bloopers - submitted by Darin

This was the sunset that greeted us yesterday at 4:59 PM. It was a very happy sunset! Click to enlarge.

My friend and business neighbor, Corey (owner of Corning Auto Parts), gave me a giant jug of hot and sweet Jalapeño slices yesterday. I could not resist the urge to taste them, and so I did. They are wonderful. They are hot, and a sweet under taste soon kicks in and mellows the heat. They will be excellent on sandwiches and nachos. Sunday, I plan to make a large batch of nachos for our snacking delight while playing Scrabble.

This Saturday is the 12th annual Corning Hometown Christmas. For details, see the Calendar of North State Events. There will be a live Nativity scene, craft and food booths, photographs with Santa, a lighted parade, and more. There will be free games for children, provided by Harvest Christian Center. I shall photograph the event and announce the availability of the slide show I produce from the photographs.

Laura took Mr. Nitro to Chico this morning. He needs to have his brake system reprogrammed, and he is due for his first check-up and oil change. While he has only 1365 miles on his odometer, he is past the 6-month check-up period, and the brake reprogramming is a critical issue that must be addressed as soon as possible. So off to Chico Mr. Nitro went, under Laura's aegis. It is the first time we have been separated since I obtained him on February 5, 2007, and I miss him and eagerly await his return.

On this day in history: November 14, 1991 - Former postal employee Thomas McIlvane shoots and kills four of his ex-coworkers and wounds five others, and then suicides. The act was revenge for his recent firing for lying on his time card. McIlvane's previous work experience includes a dishonorable discharge from the Marine Corps, after he ran over a car with a tank.

Born on this day in history: November 14, 1947 - P. J. O'Rourke (1947 - ____) humorist, editor. He was editor of "National Lampoon," 1973-1981.

Scripture of the Day: "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit." (1 Peter 3:18)

Video of the Day: Happy

Many think that who live in Wyoming are a bunch of uncivilized ruffians.This is not true! In fact, they have ladies' groups that meet regularly todiscuss current events and develop needed home skills. Here is a photo takenat a recent "Say NO to Hillary" ladies' group meeting in Cheyenne. Click toenlarge.

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The weather remains wonderful! Hopefully, this weather will continue through Saturday and provide an excellent environment for Hometown Christmas. For details on this event, see the Calendar of North State Events.

For dinner last evening, I grilled large salmon fillets on the indoor grill and poached sugar snap peas with slivered white onion and slivered Roma tomatoes. All was seasoned with Red Monkey Lemon Pepper Spice. I built a tray from heavy-duty aluminum foil, doubled. I sprayed this with Pam olive oil spray. The tray allowed about 1" around it for the heat to convex from the cooking element. I cooked the salmon skin-side down and did not touch it until it was done. I built a dome from another piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil so that the heat would gather and convex about the salmon and cook thoroughly. A nice glaze appeared on the outside, and the inside was juicy and moist. It was a delightful meal.

On this day in history: November 13, 1974 - Nuclear activist Karen Silkwood's car is forced off the road into an embankment, while travelling to an interview with author and New York Times reporter David Burnham. Her files were missing from the wreck, but an FBI investigation concluded it was an accident.

Born on this day in history: November 13, 1949 - Whoopi Goldberg (1949 - ____) actress, comedienne. Her films include "Color Purple," 1985; "Jumpin' Jack Flash," 1986; "Sister Act I and II;" and "Ghost," for which she won an Oscar, 1991.

Scripture of the Day: "For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God." (1 Peter 2:15-16)

Video of the Day: NASCARGOT - A NASCAR Parody - submitted by Cindy

A friend visited this morning and displayed his new car. I wanted to be complimentary, and finally decided to say, "Nice color." But I could not help myself, and I added, "If you like green." Click to enlarge.

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Hometown Christmas: Hometown Christmas will be held this Saturday. For details, see the Calendar of North State Events. The weather today is beautifulsunny and clear. Hopefully, this wonderful weather will continue through the weekend.

On this day in history: November 12, 1933 - Hugh Gray of the British Aluminium Company took five pictures of the Loch Ness Monster, the first known photos. Four the the five exposures were blank, and the remaining photo was later proven to be a hoax.

Born on this day in history: November 12, 1934 - Charles Manson born in Cincinnati to a 16-year-old prostitute and an unknown father.

Scripture of the Day: "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding." (Colossians 1:9)

Video of the Day: Office Snowball Fight - submitted by Amber

The Makers of FRESCHETTA PIZZAMORÉ™ Pizza Introduce its NEW Pre-Sliced, Restaurant-Style Pizza with a Revolutionary Bake and Serve Tray. Click to enlarge.

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For dinner on Friday, we had one of the new FRESCHETTA PIZZAMORÉ™ pizzas. We had the 10-topping pizza, and it was extraordinary! I highly recommend this pizza. It is nearly equal to a fresh take-and-bake pizza. The crust, sauce, and toppings are first-rate.

Sunday evening, I made Barilla thick spaghetti and marinara sauce. Laura sautéed Italian sausage in extra-virgin olive oil, while I sliced red bell pepper, white onion, white mushrooms, and Roma tomatoes. I added four tablespoons of minced garlic and handed the mixture to Laura. Laura added it to the sausage and stirred, seasoning with sea salt, ground black pepper, and Italian seasoning. Laura then added a package of baby spinach and stirred. The sauce simmered for an hour, and Laura added a jar of Classico Roasted Garlic marinara sauce. I cooked a package of Barilla thick spaghetti until al dente, drained, and placed in a large pasta bowl. I poured the sauce over the spaghetti. Laura incorporated the spaghetti into the sauce and took the bowl to the table. At the table, we added crushed red peppers and DiGiorno grated Parmesan cheese. A quantity of leftovers followed Laura to Chico this morning.

On this day in history: November 9, 1997 - Michael Paul Lookinland, aka "Bobby" from the Brady Bunch, charged with drunk driving in St. George, Utah. With a BAL of 0.258, the 36 year old former child star was very drunk.

Born on this day in history: November 9, 1935 - Bob Gibson (1935 - ____) baseball player. He pitched a record thirty-one strike-outs in the 1964 World Series; won the Cy Young Award in 1968, 1970; inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame, 1981

Scripture of the Day: "'Come now, let us reason together,' says the LORD. 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.'" (Isaiah 1:18)

Video of the Day: Lightning Tokyo - submitted by Amber

Jalapeños! Here is a photograph I took a few years ago of some Jalapeñopeppers I had just cleaned with my Spyderco knife. I generally do notremove seeds and membranes, but I was preparing a batch of salsa to beshared with people who had a low tolerance to heat. Click to enlarge.

Recommended Site:Nikon Photographer - A free forum for all photographers (NOT just Nikon users!) and anyone interested in photography!

Photographs from Harvest Festival at Harvest Christian Center will be available for your viewing pleasure by 11 AM this morning. From the Local Events Photo Gallery link below the visitor counter, choose Harvest Festival. Enjoy!

On this day in history: November 8, 1991 - Convicted crack smoker Marion Barry, who served six months in prison in 1990, is re-elected mayor of Washington D.C.

Born on this day in history: November 8, 1931 - Morley Safer (1931 - ____) newscaster, correspondent, journalist. He is best known for his work on "60 Minutes."

Scripture of the Day: "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:15)

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It appears that the warm weather will soon end! It is forecast to be ten degrees cooler tomorrow than it is today, and it is forecast to be yet another ten degrees cooler on Saturday! Shiver me timbersas Cap'n Jack would most certainly say, had I not said it first!

Because of my real-life experience at the marketdescribed in an earlier blog post: someone tried to steal my shopping cart in the checkout lineI dreamed that someone stole my shopping cart after I had purchased my goods and stowed them in the cart! I chased after the scofflaws in Mr. Nitro and contacted law enforcement via UConnect, reporting the license number of the vehicle I was following. The dispatcher told me to be very cautious, saying that vehicle was reported stolen and had been used in an armed bank robbery earlier in the day! Soon, the sky was filled with police and news helicopters, and a S.W.A.T. van appeared and pitted the cretins' craft. I was pronounced a hero and was interviewed by the media. I was smiling when I awakened.

On this day in history: November 7, 1872 - The cargo ship Mary Celeste sails from New York, never reaching Genoa. Four weeks later it is found completely abandoned, whereabouts of the ten man crew unknown.

Born on this day in history: November 7, 1918 - Billy Graham (1918 - ____) evangelist. He is known world-wide for his Billy Graham Crusades; wrote "The Seven Deadly Sins," 1955.

Scripture of the Day: "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone; for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

Video of the Day: WSSA World Record – Individual Cycle - submitted by Danica

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Laura went to lunch with a friend yesterdayforestalling her ingesting of the leftover jambalaya until today. She brought me leftovers from her lunch at Hula's Mongolian Barbecue. It was very tasty. Tonightfollowing Bible class at Harvest Christian Centerwe shall have the remainder of the wonderful pasta salad we enjoyed last Saturday evening. I shall add sliced grilled chicken breast to the salad. It shall be delightful.

Tomorrow evening, we shall have beef fajitas. I am eager for this.

The weather promises to be beautiful again todaysunny and warm. It is forecast to be in the low 80s. While I realize that water is needed desperately in many parts of the country, and local streams, creeks, and rivers are showing the dramatic effects of this long dry spell, the warm weather is certainly enjoyable.

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

On this day in history: November 6, 1989 - Kitty Dukakis, wife of Presidential candidate and Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis, is hospitalized for drinking rubbing alcohol.

Born on this day in history: November 6, 1946 - Sally Field (1946 - ____) actress. She won Oscars for "Norma Rae," 1979 and "Places in the Heart," 1985.

Scripture of the Day: "And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment; to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ." (Ephesians 1:9-10)

Video of the Day: This Movie Is about Cats Flying - submitted by Cindy

The local Dodge Nitro Club held its first meeting this morning in the meadow behind my office. Click to enlarge.

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For dinner last evening, I mad jambalaya. I used leftover grilled items from the weekend's mealspork loin chop, Johnsonville Italian sausage, and chicken breast. I sliced these items and added them to two cups of brown rice, two cups of water, one cup of white wine, three large sliced Jalapeños, 1/2 sliced large red onion, four tablespoons minced garlic, one package baby spinach, and six sliced large Roma tomatoes. I seasoned with sea salt, ground black pepper, cumin, and ground Cayenne pepper. I cooked this, unattended, for two hours on medium-low heat. When Laura arrived home from work, she stirred and pronounced it ready to enjoy. Enjoy we did! It was wonderfully tasty and spicy. A quantity of leftover jambalaya followed Laura to work this morning. She shall enjoy a festive lunch.

Saturday morning, I had an experience I had not previously endured: I shopped at Sav-Mor Foods at 8:30 AM. Sav-Mor Foods has no baggers. Customers bag their purchases themselves. I removed my selected items from my cart, placed them on the conveyor belt, and fed my credit card into the processor. The checker entered the items into the system, announced the total, and handed me a receipt to sign. I signed the receipt and advanced to the bagging area. My cart was gone! I looked to the next lane and saw that what appeared to be my cart was being loaded by a stranger. "Excuse me," I said, "did you by chance steal my cart?" "I guess," he replied. "Well," I said, "remove your items and return my cart to me at once, please." There was no response. I repeated this request. There was no response. I noticed that the checker appeared to be stunned by the bizarre antics of this cart-stealing cretin. I walked around the bagging area, removed his items from my cart, took my cart, and began bagging my items and placing them in my cart. As I departed the store, the low, guttural grumblings of the cart monster echoed in my ears. What a way, thought I, to begin one's day.

On this day in history: November 5, 1975 - Logger Travis Walton is abducted by aliens near Snowflake, Arizona and is missing for five days. Aliens performed "various experiments" on the abductee. Walton finds the experience immensely lucrative as his experiences are chronicled in the mediocre book Fire in the Sky and a very bad film by Paramount.

Born on this day in history: November 5, 1926 - John Berger (1926 - ____) painter, teacher, art critic. He began his career as a painter and teacher of drawing; became art critic for the "Tribune," and "New Statesman."

Scripture of the Day: "This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing." (Romans 13:6)

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Friday evening, we had a Red Baron Special Deluxe pizza. I chopped two large Jalapeño peppers, and Laura sprinkled them atop the pizza prior to cooking it. These pizzas have been on sale at Sav-Mor Foods of late for less than $3.00 each!

Saturday morning, I made a delightful brunch: I sliced grilled London broil into thin pieces and sautéed in extra-virgin olive oil, with sliced red onion, minced garlic, and sliced Jalapeño peppers. I seasoned with sea salt, ground black pepper, and Red Monkey Cajun Spice. When the onions were caramelized, I added eight beaten eggs, stirring as the mixture cooked. Laura grated some cheddar cheese. When the eggs were done, I warmed some large flour tortillas, and we made breakfast burritos. They were wonderful.

Sundayfollowing service at Harvest Christian Centerwe had the leftovers from Saturday's brunch. Instead of tortillas, we used Mission tortilla chips and Casa Lupe salsa. It was excellent.

For dinner Sunday evening, I made a marinade with extra-virgin olive oil, rice wine vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, sea salt, cumin, and Red Monkey Lemon Pepper Spice. Laura cleaned and marinated eight large Tyson boneless, skinless chicken breasts. She grilled the chicken, red potatoes, huge white mushrooms, and large Jalapeño peppers. It was a wonderful meal. Some of the leftover chicken will find its way into the leftover pasta salad and be enjoyed after Bible class on Wednesday.

On this day in history: November 2, 1988 - The Internet Worm is released by Cornell grad student Robert Morris. His ingenious program was meant to explore the Internet harmlessly, but due to a bug, it crashed some 6,000 computers.

Born on this day in history: November 2, 1938 - Patrick Buchanan (1938 - ____) politician. He was director of communication under Reagan, 1985-87; presidential candidate, 1992, 1996.

Scripture of the Day: "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." (1 Peter 2:9)

Video of the Day: Barrett .50 Cal Demo - submitted by Phillip

Imagine Mr. Nitro's dismay when he found this beast usurping his parking spot this morning. Rather than engage in a battle with the interloper, Mr. Nitro graciously parked elsewhere. Click to enlarge.

On this day in history: November 1, 1950 - Attempt by Puerto Rican nationalists to assassinate President Truman at Blair House fails, leaving one of them dead.

Born on this day in history: November 1, 1937 - Bill Anderson (1937 - ____) singer, songwriter. "Whispering Bill" was a top country music star of 1960s; wrote "Walk Out Backward," 1962 and "Strangers," 1965.

Scripture of the Day: "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints." (Ephesians 1:18)

Why trampolines can be dangerous. I encountered this scene on my way to the office this morning. It shows the potential danger lurking, waiting for the carefree trampoline enthusiast! Click to enlarge.

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Last evening was the Harvest Festival at Harvest Christian Center. This was the Thirteenth Annual Free Harvest Festival to be Harvest Christian Center. There was lots of candy, toys, games, chili, cookies, cotton candy, popcorn, pony rides, and bouncing castles. It was an excellent event, the attendance was high, and the weather was beautiful. It was a warm eveningin the 70s!and there was no wind. It was a wonderful event. I took several hundred photographs and will soon be sharing some of them in a slide show. I shall announce the availability of the slide show when it is ready for viewing.